Thanks to Karen Reisner for an excellent op-ed, “Time to ‘Pay It Forward,’” I agree with everything she says about climate change, but I believe there is a better way to take action than EPA regulations: A revenue-neutral carbon pollution fee paid by fossil fuels directly to consumers.

The carbon pollution fee would increase annually, making fossil fuels more and more expensive than solar and wind energy. People switch. The market, not government regulations, makes much bigger and faster carbon emission cuts than the EPA with no economic downside, A new REMI economic report projects it will create 2.8 million net jobs and will add $75-80 billion annually to GDP.

The carbon fee would also also be placed on imports from carbon polluters like China, forcing them to cut emissions to compete. Americans would get that money too, making U.S. products more affordable for them.

This plan is a win-win, supported by most economists, including eight Nobel Prize winners. The Citizens Climate Lobby website has more information on the plan. Reagan’s Secretary of State, George Shultz is on the CCL advisory board.

Meanwhile, the new Risky Business report, backed by GW Bush’s secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, projects the crushing future economic cost of further delaying significant carbon emissions cuts; And The National Review has just called for a Republican strategy to address global warming. So, perhaps the time has come when climate change can finally be dealt with on a non-partisan basis.

All we lack is the political will to make this happen. Congress needs to hear from their constituents from both parties who want real solutions to climate change.

Lynn Goldfarb

Lancaster, PA

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